Kindle 4G and New Tablet

Kindle Fire HD 4G and other new Kindle devices

 

All pictures on this page image credit: http://alturl.com/cpatv

 

 

It's just amazing what is being offered this holiday season in eReaders, tablets and iPads.  Good luck sorting all this out. Doing your research will definitely get you and your patrons the best fit for your library. At our academic library, we like the new choices, especially on a tight budget.  The cost shown below is for the low end memory devices.  See Amazon's web site for specs and all pricing.  http://alturl.com/cpatv

 

Presently we are using the 3G Kindle3 models to replace many of the worn out 'original' Kindle1's.  These older models served us well for the last four years and hope the new devices hold up just as well. Kindle1's were $359 in 2008, which makes even the 8.9" Kindle HD Wi-Fi device at $299 and the new $199 Kindle Fire HD 7" a bargain. 

 

We have many required titles for class reading that transfer smoothly to the new models. The Kindle Fire is popular here for required reading, assignments and terrific in class when students work in groups researching for a class project.

 

Next Blog:
New iPad mini

 

 

 

 

All pictures on this page image credit: http://alturl.com/cpatv

 

$499 HD 4G LTE Wireless 8.9"

$299 for Wi-Fi model

 

$159 no HD

$199 HD model

$139 3G w/keyboard

 

3G $179

Wi-Fi $119

 



6" B/W $69

New Nook HD, Nook Tablet, Glowing Nook, Simple Touch

Eleven Nooks to choose from, including the original Nook Color.


All images this page Image Credit: http://alturl.com/uyket

We have so many remarkable choices now for libraries loaning eReaders and tablets. So many great devices for any size library budget.

 

 We have the Nook Color, the B/W original Nooks and two B/W Sony's. We have iPads, Kindle Fires, original K1's, K2's, K3's and Kindle DX. Students are really fascinated with our collection.

For those libraries just getting started in this ever changing technological arena, it's the training of staff and scheduling maintenance that's important to consider in your purchases, not just the cost of the device.  We have been implementing eReaders since 2008. As the devices get more sophisticated, the more time required updating and cleaning the internal devices.

With Amazon coming out with new Kindle models and Apple announcing a possible 7" iPad Oct. 23rd, it will make the choice even more difficult. I would like to stay within the area of Kindles, Nooks and iPads to help keep some sense of stability with our inventory. Not that we wouldn't try a new company's device, but for now, our inventory is servicing our needs quite well for students, faculty and staff.

 

Next blog:

New Kindles and the New Smaller iPad



Nook HD+ 9" screen
 

Nook Tablet 7" touchscreen
8GB $179
16GB $199

The Glowing Nook
Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight $119
6" Touchscreen 7 oz.

Nook Simple Touch B/W $99

Nook Color 7"
$149
Original price last Fall...$199

 

 

 

Cast your vote for 2012 Read Together Program by Feb. 24th-EAP Class Semester Loan Project and our NEW Kindle Fire and NookColor devices

We have added 25 Kindle Fires and 15 Nook Color devices to our eReader/tablet collection.

  



Nook Color  

Image Credit: http://alturl.com/fepfp



Kindle Fire
Image Credit: http://alturl.com/2x5jm


These are the new titles below that we have purchased to help students, faculty and staff cast their vote for the 2012 Read Together Palm Beach County Campaign.
Vote by Feb. 24.
Cast your vote in our library on either floor two or floor three, or at their web site below.  March 12th will be the announcement for the 2012 book choice.
http://readtogether.palmbeachpost.com/

  

/



Image Credits: http://readtogether.palmbeachpost.com/

Nook Color and Kindle Fire devices are

7 day loans.

Dr. Richard Shepardson is Palm Beach State's EAP Cluster Chair. He is working with our library this semester to promote reading using eReaders in his EAP 0420 classes, with approximately 25 students in all. Students will have the opportunity to use a Kindle Fire and/or a Nook Color this semester. We hope to receive a lot of feedback from students concerning their likes and dislikes about each device.




Image Credit: http://alturl.com/3uxeg

 

Tech Services added a new book, The Appointment, to each Kindle Fire and Nook Color, to start off the semester. If students find other books they would like to read, with Dr. Shepardson's approval, we will download these requests. We are very excited about these new devices and hope this program will bring many excellent books to our fiction collection.




Image Credit: http://alturl.com/ou422

 The Year of the Flood is assigned reading by one of our teachers.  Students are very pleased that they can check out a Kindle Fire to take home for this assignment.

Kindle Fire vs. Nook Color Semester Class Project

Image Credit: http://alturl.com/fobud


Dr. Richard Shepardson is Palm Beach State's EAP Cluster Chair.  He is working with our library this semester to promote reading using eReaders in his EAP 0420 classes, with approximately 25 students in all. Students will have the opportunity to use a Kindle Fire and/or a Nook Color this semester. We hope to receive a lot of feedback from students concerning their likes and dislikes about each device.

Tech Services added a new book, The Appointment, to each Kindle Fire to start off the 1st class this Monday.  If students find other books they would like to read, with Dr. Shepardson's approval, we will download these requests. We are very excited about this new device and hope it will bring many excellent books to our fiction collection.



Image Credit: http://alturl.com/jmtpc



The Kindle Fire Wi-Fi connection is easy with our college system.  Students sign in with their Panther Web ID and password. Off campus they can connect using any Wi-Fi system at their disposal without their college sign in information.   For students assigned or approved reading, once the book has been purchased and downloaded by our library staff, students can read anywhere without Wi-Fi.

Image Credit: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/nook-color-barnes-noble/1100437663

We are unpacking boxes of Nook Color devices today in Tech Services and processing these new devices for students in Dr. Shepardson's class for check out..  
We will post more information about this remarkable semester project very soon.

Project Gutenberg "Free eBooks" founder, Michael S. Hart, passes away...



Image credit: http://hart.pglaf.org/



Project Gutenberg founder, Michael S. Hart, the first producer of free eBooks, died Sept. 6, 2011.

Link for full obituary:   

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Michael_S._Hart

Mr. Hart is known for his 1971 invention of electronic books. Project Gutenberg is recognized as one of the "earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects", according Dr. Gregory B. Newby.

Dr. Newby also spoke of Mr. Hart's project that began on July 4, 1971. After being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he typed the text into a computer and transmitted it to other users on the computer network.

Dr. Newby continues...

"From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years." 

Image credit: http://hart.pglaf.org/

Michael Hart's Online Writings

http://hart.pglaf.org/

One of Michael Hart's quotes;

“If what you did yesterday still seems great today,

Then your goals for tomorrow are not big enough.”

Image credit: http://hart.pglaf.org/

For more information about Project Gutenberg:

http://www.gutenberg.org/

Surprise! Surprise! Apple has a large exhibit at BookExpo America NYC

Image credit: http://alturl.com/qf5bh

BookExpo America is in NYC next week, May 23-24.

BEA is the largest book publishing venue of the year in the USA for those that didn't know. Apple has a prime location on the exhibit floor near Disney, Scholastic and Random House. Media sources say Apple doesn't appear to have any devices or software upgrade announcements this week. What's interesting is, Apple doesn't usually attend these book publishing conferences and they didn't attend last year. What is remarkable is the high volume of eBook and eTextbook sales this past 12 month. [See Wall St. Journal stats near bottom of blog.]

CEO Steve Jobs said Apple has downloaded 100 million eBooks from April 2010 to February 2011. [April 3, 2010 was launch date of original iPad, in case you are new to eReaders and tablets]. Bloomberg cited Goldman Sachs Report in February that states;

Amazon had 58% of the eBook sales

Barnes and Noble 27%

Apple 9%

Border/Kobo 7%

For more information please see the blog below covering The Economics of Digital Content, dated May 17, 2011. http://alturl.com/zpmhr

Image credit: http://alturl.com/rkaey

Also attention-getting is the digital book conference at BEA, The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) and what they are presenting. They had a 1 hour conference on EPUB3, May 12, online. You can still register and view the Webinar until Dec. 12, 2011. [See link below.] "Learn how the standard impacts the major device manufacturers and the larger eBook ecosystem."  Webinar: EPUB 3, an Insider’s Look. How Will Your eBook Operations be Affected? http://alturl.com/ud8dz

This is the abstract from IDPF’s schedule on BEA's conference page: "IDPF Digital Book 2011 will be a one-and-a-half day educational conference that gives attendees the opportunity to network with global leaders in digital publishing business and technology. Learn about the latest trends in the digital publishing industry through expert panels and in-depth demonstrations and case studies. Included are workshops on the EPUB standard including the new EPUB 3 revision, eBook production, workflow, and best practices."

IDPF Announces Speakers for Digital Book 2011, May 23-24th NYC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42795908

Another informative blog by the Official BEA Librarian Blogger you should browse:

http://alturl.com/pepce

Image credit: http://alturl.com/vddog

What does all this mean?

Let’s look at these recent stats and I think we will all come to the same conclusion! The eBook and eTextbook market is exploding!

Wall St. Journal, April 11, 2011
The market for digital books was $966 billion last year and is expected to triple by 2015, according to Forrester Research.”

Wall St. Journal- Feb, 25, 2011
“In 2012, e-Textbook sales are expected to more than double to $308 million from $138 million last year according to MBS Service Co.”


Image Credit: http://alturl.com/znha2



We are looking forward to seeing some exiting news from the many blogs and tweets from those attending these conferences next week. This is such an exciting time to be involved in the eReader, tablet, eBook, and eTextbook evolution in a library setting.



New iPad2---Available March 11

Everyone has been waiting for it!

The announcement of the new iPad2!

Image credit: http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/

Tech Specs
http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/

iPads in Classrooms

Apple iPad Learning Labs

http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/

"An Apple iPad Learning Lab streamlines the management of classroom sets of iPad devices. Each lab includes 10 iPad devices and a sturdy and secure mobile cart. The cart can store, charge, and sync up to 30 iPad devices and has room for a MacBook computer. The cart rolls easily around campus, so multiple classes can benefit, and it can be locked to secure the devices when they’re not in use. Purchase a predesigned Apple iPad Learning Lab or let us help you build your own iPad mobile lab."



Some important information from the Apple website:
iPad2's will be available at Apple Retail Stores
or online March 11.  Units start at $499.

Ok, so you might wonder what our library is going to do next....

we just purchased 15 Kindle3's-Wi-Fi only units and sent them all back this week.  Why? Answer in next blog post.

HarperCollins Puts 26 Loan Cap on Ebook Circulations

To a Mountain in Tibet

By Colin Thubron

On Sale: 3/1/2011

Formats: E-Book

 Image credit:  http://alturl.com/e89gd

http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/889452-264/harpercollins_caps_loans_on_ebook.html.csp

Quote from article in weblink above by Josh Hadro Feb 25, 2011 Mention of the new terms was first made in a letter from OverDrive CEO Steve Potash to customers yesterday. He wrote [emphasis in original]:

[W]e have been required to accept and accommodate new terms for eBook lending as established by certain publishers. Next week, OverDrive will communicate a licensing change from a publisher that, while still operating under the one-copy/one-user model, will include a checkout limit for each eBook licensed. Under this publisher's requirement, for every new eBook licensed, the library (and the OverDrive platform) will make the eBook available to one customer at a time until the total number of permitted checkouts is reached.

As noted in the letter, the terms will not be specific to OverDrive, and will likewise apply to "all eBook vendors or distributors offering this publisher's titles for library lending." The new terms will not be retroactive, and will apply only to new titles. More details on the new terms are set to be announced next week.
If a lending period is two weeks, the 26 circulation limit is likely to equal roughly one year of use for a popular title. For a three-week lending period, that stretches to a year and a half.

For librarians—many of whom are already frustrated with ebooks lending policies and user interface issues—further license restrictions seem to come at a particularly bad time, given strained budgets nationwide. It may also disproportionately affect libraries that set shorter loan periods for ebook circulation.
[end of quote]

One issue that stands out is the shorter loan periods mentioned above.  Our reserve items are usually 2 hours for textbooks.

With a 26 loan cap, that could expire in less than one week at our Reserve desk.

E-textbook
Imge credit: http://alturl.com/yk75k
By Kenneth C. Davis
On Sale: 3/15/2011
Formats: Trade PB
E-Book

E-reader Boom:

The Palm Beach Post Front Page Article Today

E-reader Boom:

"Best of Times, Worst of Times"



Elegant New Skiff Reader 11.5-inch http://alturl.com/isa9r

The Post Times article linked below covers information about new E-readers showcased in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show and the closing of Boca Raton's Barnes & Noble store.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/e-reader-boom-might-prove-bookstores-long-term-1168717.html

Media Reviews of the

Consumer

Electronics Show:

http://www.cesweb.org/news/coverage.asp Links to media reviews
http://alturl.com/gt36r Includes Tablets and iPad success
http://alturl.com/8gm85 Covers 8 trends to watch including tablets
http://alturl.com/agadq Includes  e-readers and tablets
http://alturl.com/xpjib   Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad vs. Galaxy Tab:

This is going to be one exciting year in

technology and libraries-2011!

Digital e-readers as Gifts?

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe

Not a great way to choose your

new digital e-reader!

Digital e-readers can be a very difficult purchase for so many.  I was on the phone with my sister-in law Sunday for an hour or more; plus texting back and forth this past month with questions and answers. 

Her concerns were; buying a unit she hadn't held before, which size, 7" or 9.7" Kindle, iPad or the new color Nook, and cost vs. size. Wow, its really not easy.   Each digital reader has its own pros and cons.

We discussed this purchase

 like buying or car. 

1-What would you use it for? Textbooks, novels, newspapers, magazines, blogs, games, email?

2-Who else might use it?
3-Would you use it for school, pleasure, work? All three?
4-Is 3G important or is Wi-Fi ok?
5-Cost?

Once you answer these questions for yourself; call, email or text your friends that already own a digital

e-reader.  Ask them how they like it and what they use it for.  Make a "Pros and Cons" list on paper and you'll get your answer.

We have archived several posts on this blog with links to other sources on many digital e-readers as they have arrived on the show room floor or online.

Good luck with your new purchase! 

Happy New Year 2011

http://www.multyshades.com/2010/12/30-superb-happy-new-year-2011-wallpapers-feel-the-joy/



Student Critique of iPad in the College Classroom

Like  &  Dislikes

http://www.apple.com/ipad/

Last week my colleague asked a student to critique the iPad for us.  The student was already familiar with the Kindle DX.  It was very kind of Vaughn to take the time to evaluate how this helps or hinders his work while taking a class here at Palm Beach State.  Below find a summary of his remarks.

What he likes:
Ability to integrate professor's online notes and textbook material while in the classroom

Ability to take notes and relate these to the lesson plans

Using online materials for instant references when using textbooks and listening to professor's lectures. This is a great feature for visual learners.

What he dislikes:
Using the Kindle app on iPad gives the look and feel of using a Kindle

As a business major, I'm not able to use some business apps such as spreadsheets.

Not able to load learning websites such as myspanishlab.com which is used for Spanish 1 & 2

Vaughn's Overall Comments:
I think the iPad is a great investment for the college that offers a wonderful and unique learning tool for students.  I would certainly suggest that the college get more of these units.

When Vaughn returned the iPad and Kindle DX, he also made these verbal comments. This is my summary of our conversation that day.

He said it was wonderful to be able to zip back and forth when studying from his textbook on the iPad and getting references and the ability to verify his resourses from the our library online to complement his work.  He really enjoyed using the iPad in class to use notes from the teacher's website.  Vaugh said the glare wasn't bad during the day, but was noticeable at night. 

Thank You!

 Thanks again Vaughn for sharing your review of the iPad and letting

us post your comments on our blog:]

E-Textbooks expected to grow by 11% by 2013

E-textbooks:
11% growth by 2013
4% by this end of this year

See link below for new info about e-texbooks and the projection for growth in the near future.
Article from Reuters, US Edition
Sept. 15th, 2010


http://alturl.com/yehuq

The Amplified Edition on iPad July 20th!

Ken Follett's novel, "The Pillars of the Earth" was released yesterday on iPad as an Amplified Edition. What does this mean? Full text with a truly integrated multimedia experience!

Combines text, film clips and music
*Contextual video clips at corresponding points in the book

*Interviews with the author

*Video diary from Mr. Follett

*Audio clips

Also included:

*Sketches of the set where the miniseries was filmed

*Selections from the soundtrack

*Family tree with background of different characters

*Video clips of actors discussing their roles

This is a Penguin-Starz project with Apple, giving readers extensive excerpts from the TV production from the miniseries that begins this Friday, July 23. Readers will get a chance to see the imagery, architecture, music and clothing from this time period.

Each week of the miniseries, you can download new content to your iPad, iPhone or iPod, as the TV mini-series continues. Downloads are $12.99 from iTunes. Reese Marino from the San Jose Book Examiner says it's like an "e-book on steroids".

This 1st Amplified Edition will give us a sneak preview of what multimedia/interactive textbooks will be like for our students. This is an exciting time to be in education on both sides of the desk:]

What's next? Textbooks on steroids?

iPads are great fun and educational!

It's been really fun using the iPad!

It's great to hear all the ohhh's and awwwh's from students, faculty and staff, over the ease of use, terrific graphics and all the fun apps.

I have not read any of the books we purchased, and would like to see if it's as easy to read several chapters on the iPad as it is with the Kindle without eye strain.

Hopefully this weekend, time will permit spending some quality time with the iPad.

We loaded 3 books for a variety; Stones in Schools by Greg Mortenson, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and a little sci-fi by Jim Butcher, Storm Front.

Some have noticed quite a glare from the glass, and that's the only complaint. The Wi-Fi card is not as strong as our laptops, so we don't find a quick connection at every area of the library. If we go outside to get connected, and walk back inside, it usually stays. Our next set will have at least one 3G unit.

Only problem we have run into is loading iTunes on our PC's. Why? We have Deep Freeze on our PC's, which prevents us from downloading new software. We used our MacBook Pro, but it had an older version of iTunes, and we needed Ver. 9.1. IT came to our rescue and loaded the new version on the MacBook Pro and within minutes we had our update, iPads connected, configured and up and running with 3 books purchased. I would also suggest charging up the iPad for at least 1 hour before you get started, using the power cable, not the USB cable, as the USB takes longer to charge.

Good News for libraries: To purchase a book, we have to use a password, not a '1-click' to buy, like the Kindle. Once you're in the store and purchase one book with a password, you can keep ordering books for that session. This process will help us keep track of our inventory. Patrons can browse the store for books and download samples, but they can't purchase.

It was a crazy morning getting the equipment set up, for our raffle, before the first patrons could borrow the iPads. If you are about to set out on this journey or purchasing any other digital e-readers, please give yourself plenty of time to set these up without being in a rush.

We hope in the very near future, Apple will have more news about the 5 major publishing companies and e-textbooks to help students defray the cost of books for their college education.

April 3rd iPad arrives!

Did you pre-order your iPad?

We did! We hope to receive our shipment Saturday April 3rd or Monday, April 5th. There is a limit of 2 in the pre-order and then the rest will arrive hopefully in May.

We will be giving demonstrations on all our digital e-readers during National Library Week, in April. The theme this year is "Communities Thrive @ your library". What a wonderful time to introduce the iPad, Kindle, Nook and Sony Touch e-readers to patrons.

This will be an exciting time at Palm Beach State College:]

iPad vs. Kindle DX "itis" and Education

There are so many blogs on iPad vs. Kindle DX, that this will be more about the 'education' side rather than personal use and preferences. We don't have an iPad to physically compare yet, so we will go with the stats that Apple has provided through the media.

There are several good blogs out there, but with our new Windows 7 installation, I'm not able to copy/paste or type these long links correctly at this time. Hopefully they will load to the right of the blog on the 1st page. The various blogs are rather good reading if you are a library/college institution and trying to decide; "Yes, to e-readers, but which one is best for our students".

Basically if you have a Kindle DX with 4GB memory for $489 and an iPad with 16GB memory at $499, it's a no-brainer...and you get all that other techno stuff with the iPad.....right? Yup! Other than this, the pros & cons are split. The main 2 comments concerning drawbacks with the iPad are the battery power; 10 hrs with iPad and also wireless charges. Kindle DX, on the plus side has 7 days with the wireless on and no wireless fee.

The power issue might not make a difference in student loans, as we'll have power cables with their check-out. I don't see a downside there, as we have laptops we loan for 3 hours with about 2 hour battery power; check out includes a power cable. We are presently discussing the iPad loan time for a 3hour check-out, not a 7 day like the Kindles/Sony/Nook.

Adding a monthly wireless service fee from AT&T on each unit is a minus for iPad for library budgets. The Kindle and Nook are free wireless. As you read the mainstream blogs, the other comments center on E-ink vs. LED backlit.

The iPad will be a big hit with students and teachers for e-textbooks; color pictures, interactive, charts, diagrams; as e-textbook publishers will be able to add video, like having a CD-ROM without the disc. Sounds very user friendly for education:] On the other side, if you are a student that reads endlessly for class, the Kindle might be easier on your eyes.

Looks like the field is wide open to new models next year. Right now our popular e-readers are the K1 and K2, 6" size for fiction and non-fiction titles. We have many teachers with a required reading list for students. If the hardback copies are all checked out, we are able to purchase many of these titles for our e-readers. The students have been very receptive to using the 6" Kindle and 9.7" Kindle DX for textbooks, [same size as iPad].

Also, here are a few patrons' comments comparing the Kindle with the Sony Touch:

Sony seems to have a glare and the ink is gray compared to the Kindle's bold black text...this is a very important area; eye strain on readers. We have registered our Nooks, and found this to be a very frustrating process using their 'touch screen keypad'. If you are use to "touch" phone technology, you'll be ok. We'll have to just wait to see how innovative the iPad is and their improved iTouch technology. Some techno blogs have said iPad improved their iTouch technology and will not have the problems some people have complained about. We have not loaded any books on our Nook with their 'touch' keypad. More on that later.

We'll have more comments soon from students, faculty and staff comparing the Kindle, Sony-Touch and Nook for student use. This April, we'll have most of our e-readers loaned out for the 2010 Read Together Palm Beach County Campaign.

http://www.literacypbc.org/ [still hand typing http site] then click blue link for "read together".

The five books that are being voted on now are:

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, The Things They Carried, Run, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Book Thief. We have loaded these on a few e-readers for voting and will purchase the winning title for the "read together", hopefully, for all our e-readers to enjoy.

We have found that students request a particular e-reader, depending on why they need it. I can see libraries having a variety of these fascinating digital e-readers to compliment their hardback/paperback collection and textbooks on reserve.

Happy E-reading:]